To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) mobile telephones and (b) BlackBerrys have been provided to (i) Ministers and (ii) special advisers in his Department in 2009-10 to date; and at what cost to the public purse. (313173)

In financial year 2009-10 to date, Ministers have been provided with one mobile phone at a cost of £155, and special advisers with one BlackBerry at a cost of £50. All expenditure is in line with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.